Special Session 14: New perspectives in the qualitative study of nonlinear differential equations and dynamical systems

Non-smooth critical point theory: from relativistic celestial mechanics to symmetry breaking in PDEs
Alberto Boscaggin
University of Turin
Italy
Co-Author(s):    Walter Dambrosio and Duccio Papini; Francesca Colasuonno, Benedetta Noris, Federica Sani and Tobias Weth
Abstract:
I will briefly discuss two problems on which I have been working in the last few years: the first is the periodic problem for systems of ODEs in relativistic mechanics, the second is the Dirichlet problem for supercritical elliptic PDEs. Although seemingly unrelated, these two problems have in common the fact that they are addressed through the non-smooth critical point theory developed since the seminal paper by Szulkin in 1986. I will try to highlight similarities and differences between the two applications. Based on joint works with Walter Dambrosio and Duccio Papini (systems of ODEs) and Francesca Colasuonno, Benedetta Noris, Federica Sani and Tobias Weth (elliptic PDEs).